Shows
The Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 02/17/2026(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A hard New England winter has a way of revealing what a town is made of. We kick off with clear-eyed updates from our fire chief—4,030 total emergency responses last year, a 38% jump since 2019—along with the training and outreach that keep response times strong and neighbors better prepared. Then the highway superintendent puts numbers to the grind: 41.4 inches of snow to date, about 1,700 tons of salt used, constant equipment maintenance, and a staffing pinch that forces smart route consolidation and cross-department teamwork. If you’ve ever w...
2026-02-1823 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 02/10/2026(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A routine agenda turned into a masterclass in how local government safeguards daily life. We open with a clear-eyed police report on a high-volume January: more than 2,500 calls, a critical response to a vehicle into a home on Broadway, and a snowstorm that tested crews across shifts. Then we make two pivotal staffing moves—welcoming a fully trained local officer and preparing for a seamless dispatcher transition after nearly twenty years of dedicated service—reinforcing the backbone of emergency response when every second counts.The...
2026-02-1132 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 12/02/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A quiet room, a folded flag, and a name that meant action: we open with a heartfelt tribute to Marie Smith—trailblazer, veteran advocate, and the first woman elected to Raynham’s Board of Selectmen—whose five decades of service left a durable imprint on our town. Colleagues and our town clerk share personal memories that reveal her defining traits: she listened, she got results, and she showed up for veterans and families when it mattered most.From remembrance to responsibility, we turn to the wo...
2026-02-0824 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Special Town Meeting 11/17/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A full house, a stack of articles, and a community determined to balance urgent needs with long-term discipline. We open with clear ground rules and electronic voting, then move fast through essentials: ambulance funding, union agreements, PEG access supported by cable fees, and a prudent-investor standard that lets the town put trust funds to smarter work. Schools get a much-needed push on capital repairs, plus a shared, independent review of the regional district to tune operations and spending.The night’s heartbeat is public sa...
2026-02-082h 16The Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 01/27/2026(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)Growth is everywhere you look: homes selling as they’re framed, storefronts filling in, and a likely Chick-fil-A set to replace the old Party City with a smaller, high-capacity design. We break down the building department’s year-end numbers and what they signal for Raynham’s future, then dig into the policy backbone behind it all—how streamlined ADU rules can add gentle density while still protecting safety and transparency for first responders.We also shine a light on the library, where the data tells a...
2026-02-051h 02The Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 01/20/2026(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A frigid night couldn’t slow a packed agenda that touched permits, public health, licensing, and real community needs. We opened with a straight look at overdue 2026 business permits and why enforcement exists to protect residents and support fair operators. From there, our opioid working group doubled down on prevention by distributing 600 youth-friendly vaping education books alongside a parent letter through local schools, while our town nurse delivered stroke prevention and bed bug sessions and kept blood pressure clinics rolling.We also took a th...
2026-01-2524 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 12/23/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)Decisions that seem small often shape how a town feels day to day. We walk through a crisp year-end agenda that touches giving, business oversight, celebration of service, environmental care, and essential public services—each one a practical choice that sets up Raynham for a smoother 2026. We start with clarity on tag day permits, simplifying how local nonprofits apply and when they can fundraise, then move to a scheduled hearing for Shaw’s manager change and approval of the Raynham Girl Scouts’ packed calendar of dates. Safety...
2026-01-1912 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 01/13/2026(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)Big decisions rarely arrive with fanfare, but this meeting delivers a clear look at how Raynham moves forward. We start with a sobering milestone—record fire calls and a 38% rise since 2019—paired with the joy of Secret Santa reaching 158 kids. From there, the highway team unpacks winter response, permits, and the slow, necessary work that keeps bridges, culverts, and roads safe. Community spirit takes center stage with a Recognition Award for Senior Center director Erin Madeiris, whose programs and monthly meals are lifting seniors and strengthening ties...
2026-01-1933 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 12/16/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)Tonight’s agenda looks routine, but the ripple effects are real: clear rules for nonprofits to fundraise, a cleaner path for residents to join town boards, and practical public health resources you can pick up without questions. We open with the Board of Health’s year-end reminders—permit expirations, respiratory illness guidance aligned with CDC and Massachusetts DPH—and a serious, youth-centered push on opioid education. That includes free naloxone kits, fentanyl test strips, and sharps containers, plus age-appropriate materials and school partnerships designed to spark honest c...
2026-01-1025 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 01/06/2026(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A packed night at Veterans Memorial Town Hall shows how small-town decisions carry real weight. We start with the numbers: Raynham’s police handled 2,661 calls in December and more than 28,000 calls across the year, a 13% jump from 2024. Compliance checks brought zero violations, the Santa ride and toy drive highlighted community spirit, and the board thanked officers who show up during the hardest shifts of the year. From there, we focus on process and accountability: reappointing constables, pausing public hearings due to a notice timing mismatch, and in...
2026-01-0825 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 12/09/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)Budgets don’t balance themselves, and neither do expectations. We sat down to hash out the choices that keep Raynham moving: a record pace for fire and EMS calls, a Santa ride that delivered more toys than ever, and the quiet grind of winter prep that keeps roads safe and services reliable. Each update carried the same theme—costs are rising, needs are real, and small levers can make a big difference.We dug into the numbers that shape your bill. After more than 20 year...
2025-12-1536 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 11/17/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)Tight timelines don’t have to mean thin decisions. We convened on a rare Monday to clear critical items before the Fall Town Meeting and ended up advancing public safety, fiscal discipline, and transparency in one swift session. From the fire chief’s October snapshot to new holiday giving drives, the human side of town service took center stage—complete with a recent house fire where no residents were hurt and even a few pets were rescued.We also finalized two important labor agreements. The th...
2025-12-0512 minThe Raynham ChannelPlanning Board 11/06/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)The gavel drops and we head straight into the tension point: should the planning board’s associate seat be kept, elected, or scrapped? We map the legal terrain—how site plan approvals now run as special permits, why a supermajority matters, and what happens when recusals or absences collide with statutory deadlines. That’s where an associate member becomes more than a spare chair; it’s protection against failure to act and the costly risk of constructive approvals. But there’s a counterweight—trust. We address the frustrat...
2025-11-111h 28The Raynham ChannelRaynham Board of Selectmen 11/04/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A routine agenda turns into a masterclass in local decision-making as we navigate the tightrope between public safety urgency and fiscal restraint. We start with the real world: a fast, coordinated response to a structure fire, rising 911 demand, and community programs that build trust. From there, we move into the choices that define a town’s future—who steps up when the administrator is out, which contracts keep services stable, and how a single house lease can reflect a broader push for financial discipline.The...
2025-11-0557 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 10/28/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A packed agenda turns into meaningful action as we move from routine approvals to the real work of community care. Our health director lays out the 2026 permit cycle across food service, lodging, pools, tobacco, camps, and more, reinforcing the standards that safeguard daily life. We dig into the asphalt odor issue with specifics: a custom equipment fix, rerouted trucks, additional inspections, and a scheduled DEP odor survey. Residents get clear instructions for logging complaints so data drives accountability, not speculation.We then focus on...
2025-11-0520 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 10/21/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A hidden pipe changed everything. What looked like a perfect 10-acre site for Raynham’s new public safety facility turned out to be a connected wetland under state rules, capping allowable wetland impacts and shutting the door on the plan. After months of due diligence, trenching, and on-the-ground review, we faced the facts and chose a path that gets our first responders the space they need without more dead ends.We walk through the exact wetland findings, why they surfaced late, and how historic fa...
2025-10-2639 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 09/23/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)Some meetings hum along; this one pulses with real-life stakes. We open with a fast-moving agenda and quickly get into a focused public health briefing: current mosquito risk levels across town and a clear, trustworthy primer on bedbugs—how to spot them, where they hide, and what prevention actually works. It’s practical, evidence-based guidance backed by a coming town nurse presentation designed to answer your questions and ease the itch of uncertainty.From there, we dive into animal control and the everyday mechanics that...
2025-10-2225 min
A Study of StrangeThe Most Famous Ghost Picture | The Brown Lady of Raynham HallFor centuries there were accounts of a ghost haunting the English estate of Raynham Hall. They were just rumors until a photograph published in Country Life magazine in 1936 appeared to capture the specter known as "The Brown Lady," and it is arguably the most famous picture of a ghost ever taken. But is it real? Theme Music by Matt Glass https://www.glassbrain.com/ Instagram: @astudyofstrange Website: www.astudyofstrange.com Hosted by Michael May Email stories, comments, or ideas to astudyofstrange@gmail.com! ©2025 Convergent Content, LLCLINKS
2025-10-2125 minThe Raynham ChannelConservation Commission 10/15/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A failing culvert doesn’t just slow traffic—it can back up storms, strand neighbors, and choke a living stream. We bring you inside the Raynham Conservation Commission hearing where Pine Street’s twin-barrel concrete box over Bassett Brook gets a full rethink to meet modern stream crossing standards, protect wetlands, and reduce flood risk. Along the way, we navigate what the law actually requires, why “wider and embedded” matters for fish passage, and how a carefully staged plan can keep a one-way lane open while crews rebu...
2025-10-1627 minThe Raynham ChannelSewer Commission 10/09/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A small board room can hold a lot of pressure when growth, aging pipes, and big regional upgrades collide. We walk through what it takes to keep a town’s sewer system reliable: clearing easements before the rains, swapping the right parts at a temperamental pump station, and relining manholes to fight infiltration that quietly robs capacity. It’s not glamorous, but it’s the difference between steady service and costly emergencies—and the groundwork for smarter budgets down the line.The conversation turns to a pro...
2025-10-1549 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 10/14/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)Quiet decisions, big consequences—that’s the story of this meeting. We move through a packed agenda with clear rationale and practical steps, from public safety to regional school finance, all aimed at strengthening daily life in town without missing a beat.We start with the realities on the ground: a fire department handling 11–12 calls a day, overtime pressures from injury coverage, and hands-on community outreach that builds trust. We reinforce the front line by approving four police reserve candidates pending the state physical abilit...
2025-10-1524 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 10/07/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A packed agenda meets a town determined to balance safety, transparency, and long-term stewardship. We open with the numbers that define urgency—2,636 calls in September, 427 emergency 911 calls, and 97 EMD activations—then move into practical steps to keep capacity strong: approving two part-time dispatcher hires without increasing the budget. From there, we bring a new health inspector on board and set a hearing for a restaurant manager change, keeping day-to-day public health and licensing on track.The temperature rises as we take up a question of l...
2025-10-1535 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 09/30/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)What does responsive local government look like when you zoom in? We open the meeting by setting a clean, enforceable framework for tag day fundraising—simple rules that protect donors, storefronts, and nonprofits while giving priority to groups serving Raynham. From there, we shift to the shoreline, laying out a conceptual plan for a Taunton River Access Park near the Old Colony South Street East Bridge. It’s a phased, grant-driven approach that balances accessibility, safety, and history: easy put-ins for canoes and kayaks, a 10–15 minute walkin...
2025-10-1425 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 10/07/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A routine agenda rarely stays routine when real choices and real voices collide. We open with the police chief’s September report—2,636 calls, hundreds of 911 responses, and visible community engagement—before shifting into decisions that shape daily life: strengthening our communications center with two part‑time dispatcher hires, finalizing a health inspector contract grounded in food safety expertise, and setting a hearing for a manager change at a local restaurant.The center of gravity tilts toward governance and accountability as we advance a pivotal question...
2025-10-0935 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 09/16/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A quiet roll call turns into a full portrait of how a town grows, cares, and keeps its promises. We start with the nuts and bolts: hundreds of permits and inspections driving steady revenue, new housing starts at Blackwood 40B and along Pine Street, and a wave of retail changes—from a truck outlet at the former grocery site to a likely Tractor Supply, plus Popeyes filing and Raising Cane’s on the horizon. These aren’t just business moves; they reshape traffic, jobs, and everyday errand...
2025-10-0925 minThe Raynham ChannelRaynham Select Board 09/30/2025(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)A small agenda can carry big impact. We moved swiftly from routine approvals into a decision that touches countless local fundraisers: a clear tag day permit policy that puts nonprofits first, sets fair scheduling, and keeps store coordination simple and transparent. With a 30-day runway, community groups get time to adjust while residents gain confidence that a visible tag means their donation counted.The heart of our conversation turned toward the water. We unveiled a draft concept for a Taunton River Access Park on...
2025-10-0225 min